Lethal: Stabilizing an Atom
by SensuallyPassionate
Summary: Final Installment to 'Dangerously In Love'. Chuckie is a mixture of emotions from dealing with the loss of Angelica, his betrayal from April- the woman he is falling in love with, and now a new woman that accidentally entered his life, an old friend.
1. Things aren't the same

**A/N: I couldn't let you kittens down. A trilogy must happen here for our dear Chuckie Finister. But I must warn you, twists and turns are in store here so get ready. To be honest, I am an avid Chuckie and Angelica fan but after doing a lot of research (mainly watching both Rugrats and AGU all over and reading a lot of wiki entries) Nick secretly put in hints that Suzie and Chuckie liked each other. I kind of like the idea of them together….**

**Anyhoo, here is my final installment to 'Dangerously In Love'. This will be the longest installment so expect more than my usual seven chappys (IDK why I chose seven). Again, love you kittens and I am humbly grateful for your support! Thank you for enjoying my dark, twisted fantasies. –SP**

**Prologue**

**Chuckie**

**Chapter theme song: 'Holy Grail' by: Jay-Z ft. Justin Timberlake**

Sipping my coffee, I tapped my pen against my open notebook impatiently. I glanced over at the clock and saw that only fifteen minutes had passed since class has started and I was already dying of boredom. Professor Boris, Professor Boring as students eloquently called him when he was out of earshot, was writing dryly against the whiteboard something pertaining to abnormal blood cells and T-cell counts but I was not paying attention. My mind was clearly elsewhere and judging by the light snoring behind me and the faint sounds of Amber, my lab partner, tapping away at her computer on some chat website, I was not alone. I wanted to shoot myself in the face for choosing an eight am class again this semester. I was exhausted and this black coffee was not kicking in as quickly as I had liked it.

My phone vibrated against my desk, her name popping against the screen. I smiled.

_I'm here. Should I take a cab to your place or wait here for you?_

I replied back, telling Suzie to wait for me at the bus station and I'll come pick her up shortly. I closed my textbooks, stuffed my notebook back inside my backpack and quietly exited the lecture hall into the early autumn breeze. I zipped up my sweatshirt, pulling out my car keys as I walked to the student parking lot. I could not help but notice that I was somewhat…nervous in seeing Suzie. April and I had decided to remain friends and take another 'break' to allow ourselves to sort out our feelings. I had to admit, I felt a little incomplete without her beside me but she was right; I needed more time than a few quick days over the last weeks of summer vacation to sort out my feelings for her.

One thing was for sure, I was falling for her and that was an undeniable fact. However, her infidelity and deceit had left a permanent scar over the deep wound Angelica had left when she had her little rendezvous with countless of men. I have been going to therapy with Dr. Lyles for some time now, talking to him about the stress of school and applying to medical school, but also my issues in forgiving. Dr. Lyles said that the most important step for me in my recovery of emotional well-being was to forgive all those who have hurt me, but careful to not forget since it made me stronger. As much as I knew the middle-aged man was right, I cared to not dwell on the fact that I had to forgive the woman I could have been married to and the woman I was falling in love with in order to finally be at peace.

Lately I have been suffering from insomnia, and my recreational smoking had morphed into a full-blown habit. I still did not care much for alcohol and I knew smoking was going to send me to an early grave- especially with my sinuses and asthma, but I needed something to take the edge off when the gym was closed. That's why I am so…anxious to see Suzie. Since that night at the general store, she and I have been talking and sending text messages every day, all day. There was nothing the least bit romantic about our conversations, just general small talk that catapulted into hour long conversations about things we had in common.

One thing I loved was that Suzie was equally as intelligent as I was and I was finally able to engage in a civil debate. I'm not saying Angelica or April weren't the least bit educated on current and historical events, but they easily grew tired about talking about things like that and would change subject to arbitrary things like Kim Kardashian's daughter or what the latest celebrity was wearing at the music awards last night. I had no interest in limelight vixens or overpriced fashion choices of the ridiculously wealthy. Suzie…she was different and I loved that about her. Our first time hanging out since that evening, I assumed she wanted to touch more on the subject of the infamous Cyrus performance at the music awards that week but she, instead, wanted to discuss the war on Syria. Not only was it surprising but highly arousing as well…

Aside from her intelligence, Suzie was a down-to-earth woman with the same core values. Suzie was very humble, modest, and always thought about others before herself; something I loved most about her. I remember coming to pick her up one afternoon to take her to the train station to go on a trip with one of her best-friends, Janessa, at a soup kitchen feeding the homeless. Her smile damn near lit up the room and she was not one of those volunteers that did it for the sake of being charitable; Suzie was a natural born saint that genuinely wanted to help people, a savior to those who had lost all faith in humanity. I immediately grabbed an apron and joined her, slipping in occasional side glances at her with my signature awkward smile to which she returned with small giggle fits.

Lastly, Suzie was absolutely…stunning. Her intelligence mixed with her divine personality in addition to her profound beauty had me at a loss for words most times. I hated to be that stereotypical white guy that made benign racist comments, but as much as I believed race was a social construct to maintain a social hierarchy I could not deny that there was something special about darker skinned women. Before April, I had never ventured outside my bowl of vanilla ice-cream, although I thought about it. I was always too scared and intimated; I figured they laugh at me and send me at my starched jeans back home with my tail between my legs. April broke those barriers for me and allowed me to see what I had been missing with Angelica that, now, Suzie outshines them both.

Her luscious lips, curvaceous, full hips, ample bottom, and full chest- all much shapelier than what I am usually accustomed to- were any man's fantasy. Lately with all the time we have been spending together, I could not help but wonder what it would be like to devour Suzie sexually. We cuddled together the night before I left to some terrible horror flick and overly buttered popcorn. She accidentally fell asleep on my leg, sprawled out like an angel on my sofa. I managed to watch her chest fluctuate up and down, her lips parted slightly as her stomach showed gently through the sheer of her blouse.

I carefully tried to cover her with a blanket, brushing my palm against her nipples by mistake. I feared she would wake up and slap me before cursing me to hell, but, to my surprise, she remained in her peaceful slumber. I watched in wonder as her pearls hardened to the cool breeze of my air conditioning, her long, coiled hair framing a halo against her picturesque face. I forced myself to take a small walk around the block to calm my nerves…and hormones. Suzie was lethal and I knew I could not fool myself much longer in thinking I was not starting to catch feelings for her. In my eyes, Suzie was perfect. She had the intelligence I always wanted, the wit and sass of Angelica I adored, the compassion and love of April, and her own unique personality that wrapped her in this neat package underneath my personalized tree as if it were an early Christmas.

But I was still scorned and had to get my moral compass back on track before I could even think about a relationship, let alone admitting that I could possibly have feelings for someone after all I been through. As wonderful as Suzie was as a person, she was still a woman. Dangerous and manipulative; no matter how much the mask of kindness etched into her gorgeous skin. I don't know why I did not see this coming, especially with us communicating daily and spending a lot more time together since my 'break' with April. I was, once again, a fool…

I pulled up to the bus station, putting my car in park before getting out the car to meet Suzie. She smiled at me when she saw me, embracing me in a bear hug before kissing me on the cheek. My face grew hot and I prayed she could not see the crimson hue that swept over me. What was getting into me? It was just a meaningless kiss!

"Are you cold, Chuckie?" she asked, smiling. I snapped back to reality. "Your face is all red."

"Oh." The blush deepened. "This early September breeze is killing me." I grabbed her overnight bag, lugging it over my back as I took her soft hands to lead her towards my truck. Her hands were warm… her fingers fitting perfectly between mine.

"I have some cold medicine if you need some." She paused to dig inside her purse. "Are your allergies acting up again?"

I nodded my head. "They are off and on. They come and go as they please." I paused to throw her bag in my trunk before closing the door. I opened the passenger side door next, helping Suzie into the car. She thanked me.

"Such a gentleman." She giggled, removing her cashmere scarf from around her neck to reveal the necklace I had sent her for her birthday.

I smirked, admiring how beautiful it looked on her. "I see you like your birthday gift."

"Thank you again, Chuckie."

"No problem, Suzie. I'm just glad you liked it; I was afraid my lack of expertise in women's jewelry would make you hate it."

"I appreciate whatever you give me, Chuckie." She beamed, hugging me briefly before putting on her seat belt. I took a moment to observe her. In a simple black turtle neck, denim jeans, and sneakers the woman looked simply amazing. Her hair was usually in a ponytail but it was refreshing to see her full culs cascade down her back with a simple white headband. She wore no makeup, just a fine layer of chapstick that I could see underneath a veil of nude gloss. I watched her move a few curls from in front of her face behind her ear, turning to face me with that moniker smile I love.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her, trying to get my mind off her lips. I wanted to see what they tasted like. Maybe peach since I knew her favorite lip gloss was the peach flavored one from the lingerie store. "I know how much long bus rides with strangers irks you into an uncontrollable appetite."

She laughed, slapping my knee. "I could go for that Thai place you took me to last time I was here."

"Ah, Joy Yee?" she nodded. "I take it you enjoyed the noddles?"

"Yes, I can't believe I never had Thai before then. It's so delicious. _Muy delicioso_."

She referred back to one of her many languages. I stifled a groan, starting my engine to drive to dinner. She was definitely lethal.


	2. Fireworks

**Chapter theme song: 'Firework' by: Katy Perry**

**Part Three:**

**Love and Happiness**

**Suzie**

I flipped through my magazine, waiting for the next available nail station for my French manicure. I turned to look at a highly nervous Chuckie, still sniffing from the strength of acetone that flooded his nostrils. He wiped his nose with a spare tissue, reaching for his inhaler in his front left pocket before smiling at me. He was a total sweetheart. I felt a small blush creep throughout my cheeks, turning away to find myself back on the same page I was thirty minutes ago. I still had no clue on what this fall's fashion trends would be.

I let out a heavy sigh, pushing my single French braid from over my shoulder to rest on my back. I looked at my phone, growing angry. Xavier and I have officially called it quits and I could not have been feeling any worse. Since my breakup with Adam, I have been unable to rebound the way I used to. I would always be the one ending the relationship prematurely and finding myself cuddled up to another man the next week when it was all said and done. I was in no way one of those loose women that threw myself at any man I saw fit. On the contrary, I was still a virgin and proud. I had my share of hanky panky between the sheets of another but as far as intercourse, I stopped that before it could even start. I was known as quite the tease around some of the fraternity's on my campus.

I texted Xavier back, asking him to please call me when he got off work but he responded that he would be busy. I huffed, growing frustrated. Xavier was the only guy aside from my two-year relationship with Adam where I had actually developed feelings for. My ex-boyfriend, Adam, was a hotshot engineer student from Boston that moved to Michigan for school. He and I hit it off immediately after we met up for coffee at a local coffee shop near Flint. We went on several dates after that and eventually decided to go steady. We only broke up because of his transferring to MIT for his Masters and the fact that he was growing impatient in waiting for…the real deal.

I had let Adam know I was a virgin our second date and at first it did not bother him. Towards our sixth month of dating, we had fooled around in his backseat and since then, he expected me to go all the way with him instead of just oral. I made a vow to not only myself but to God that I would only share my body with the man that I truly loved; who I could say before him and unto myself that this was the man I was supposed to marry. I was in no way celibate until marriage, a girl has needs too and her vibrator only gets her so far; but I was also no fool and could not bring myself to give something so sacred of myself to a regular Joe.

Xavier was a Morehouse man and I simply adored him. I met him on a trip down to Atlanta to visit family and found out he was the friend of a friend's cousin's sister- if I got that right. I peeped him sipping his ice-cold lemonade on the deck outside my Aunt's house in khaki shorts, an all black button up with the sleeves cuffed to perfection, designer loafers, and a million dollar smile. I've dated all races of men ranging from White to Middle-Eastern, but there was something majestic about the Black man that had me weak to my knees. His skin silky, dark chocolate with a deep, baritone voice like Barry White had my knees buckling and hormones racing. I never desired anyone as much as I desired Xavier Wentworth and I truly believe that maybe he is destined to be my husband.

One evening after taking me to see a movie, he and I went back to his place for some hot chocolate and graham crackers and I found myself sprawled out in the middle of his living room floor with his head between my legs. Before him, I never had a man pleasure me the way Xavier Wentworth had done; I was always on the…giving end of that tidbit. However, the things that man could do, even just thinking about it, had me doing cartwheels on the front lawn. Best part, he was intelligent and charismatic; a future lawyer in training with ambitions on becoming governor of his home state of Louisiana. He took my breath away with everything that he embodied; from his eloquent speech to that haughty laugh that was filled to the brim with sincerity, it all was just too much for me to handle.

Yet…lately, there has been some things going on between Charles and I…dear old Chuckie Finster. He and my good friend April have been dating for awhile now and by default, Chuckie and I have been spending a lot more time together. At first, he and I would only spend time with one another whenever the entire gang got together for someone's birthday or big event. Since we all grew up and gone our separate ways, it was rather hard staying in touch for the most part. Kimi, his sister, and I have developed a close bond and become best friends but even we rarely see each other like that anymore. When Chuckie and April broke up for the umpteenth time, Chuckie sought out my help to better understand April and to also have a shoulder to cry on since he couldn't necessarily talk about it with Tommy- Tommy made it clear he disliked April from the beginning.

Our casual one a week encounters turned into twice a week events which then morphed into us swapping numbers to occasionally text which then crystallized into daily calls which finally led to us making plans to see each other almost every day. When he had left for school, he would either pay for me to come see him or he would come out to see me on weekends where I wasn't swamped with homework. Chuckie was a complete gentleman and it made me question the sanity of both April and Angelica on how they could let such a good man slip through their fingers so easily. Chuckie was everything a girl could wish for in a husband: sweet, charming, caring, masculine, well-mannered, sense of humor, intelligent, thoughtful, considerate, protective, etc. It made some sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had acted on my childhood crush of Chuckie back when I had the chance. Would he have reciprocated?

Currently, I'm not sure what's going on but I do know it's messy. Chuckie and I have these unspoken…feelings that neither one of us know how to interpret- whether or not it's just a lustful desire or that we may actually have deep-seeded feelings for one another. Chuckie is falling in love with April who secretly doesn't know how she feels about Chuckie- although it's not my place to tell him; and lastly, Chuckie and Angelica- the real quarrel. Chuckie and Angelica were supposed to be married by now and Charlie is supposed to have Chuckie Finster as his father and not some random guy at a wild party Angelica used to frequent.

However, due to Angelica's previous addictions and mental health, she made a severe mistake that not only cost her the love of her life but sent her on this downward spiral to hell. To make things even more interesting, she and Chuckie have been back and forth since Chuckie came back home to Michigan over the summer. He saw Angelica at the super market and just from the way they held each other's gazes, it was obvious there was still that inevitable chemistry and passion between them. I could not see Chuckie all that well, but Angelica had a hard time controlling herself at first glance.

The real problem arises with Angelica's retrograde amnesia. I was not made aware of all the fine details on how she attained her injuries, but one thing I know from my mother being a doctor as well as doing my own little research in my university's medical library, retrograde amnesia is often times short-term; meaning, Angelica's memories could come into play at any time. I keep in contact with both she and Harold, who are now married, just to say hello and see how things are in Chicago; and Harold tells me Angelica is just fine…but the question remains for how long? I can't help but ask myself if she would ever come to remember her relationship with Chuckie? How would Angelica react upon remembering her relationship with Charles? Most importantly, would it affect me?

I was so deep into my own thoughts that I did not notice Chuckie's hand gripping my own, his charming, perfectly chiseled face straight off a Grecian statue plastered with a gorgeous smile. "You alright?"

I blinked. "Yes, of course. Sorry I spaced off."

"It's ok, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I tried poking you but you didn't respond." He chuckled. "Where do you go, Suzie?"

"Hm?"

"Where do you go? In your daydreams; they must be nice to have you there."

I smiled, nudging him gently. I felt familiar warmth consume as our bodies touched. "I was just thinking about a few things."

"May I ask what or would that be too invasive?"

"Of course you can ask, Chuckie." I smiled, setting down my magazine atop of the glass reading table. I took a sip of my lukewarm, stale coffee and made a mental note to go buy more coffee after my manicure. "And to answer your question, I was thinking about you to be honest."

That caught him off guard, he suddenly looking stunned as he stiffened a little. He let out a nervous cough, his cheeks becoming flushed slightly. He looked so cute when he was flustered. "W-what about me?"

"Honestly, the love-triangle you are possibly in." I decided to be outright and blunt with it all. No reason to hide behind the bushes now. "Let me ask you something, Chuckie. How do you feel about me, Angelica, and April?"

He nervously coughed now, eyes bulging as he reached for the water cooler beside him to grab himself a cup of water. "Wow, Suzie. You waste no time getting to the point, do you?" I shook my head, remaining quiet as I awaited his answer. He grew mute for a long while, collecting his thoughts before he let out a soft sigh; running his hand through his orange hair. "Honestly, Suzie, I can say that for both April and Angelica, I love them both...in different ways to say the least; but you…you confuse me."

"Me?"

He nodded, sipping his water again. "Let me first start off by saying I am more than thankful for your friendship over the years and you have always been kind to me. But…" he paused searching for the right words to say. "Lately things have been different."

"Different good or different bad?" I asked, growing worried.

He sighed again. "Not sure to be honest. During my breakup with April, you were always there for me and throughout that time with us spending a lot more time together and sending endless text while having countless phone conversations, things…happened."

I grew quiet, beginning to chip the off the blue islands on my fingernails. I gnawed on by bottom lip, afraid to push the issue much further. As expected, Charles felt the shift the same way I did. I was right…feelings both of us could not explain were beginning to develop and I was not sure myself on how I felt about it. I used to have a crush on Chuckie, but that was eons ago. Plus, he is- arguably most importantly- Angelica's ex-boyfriend. Angelica and I were by no means close like Kimi and I, but I could never bring myself to intentionally hurt Angelica…even if she had forgotten all about the man that claimed her heart.

I swallowed a hard lump. "We don't have to talk much about it anymore." I looked over and saw that the manicurist was waiting for me. "It's my turn anyway."

I stood to grab my things to head towards the manicure station before Chuckie grabbed my wrist, clinging onto my limp figure for dear life with his head lowered. It caught me off guard, startling me for a second before I calmed. "Suzie…"

"Chuckie, really, let's not do this here. I'm sorry I asked."

"Things are complicated, aren't they?" he asked after a short while.

I nodded slowly although he couldn't see me. "What are we even doing Chuckie?"

"I don't know to tell you the truth." He finally raised his head, staring right into the windows of my soul. I felt the breath in my lungs whisk away as he stood, pulling me closer to his toned frame. My heart began racing as I felt that uncontrollable fire burn within me. "But I like it."

I palmed his chest, unsure of what to say after that. The manicurist yelled out something in Mandarin she thought I wouldn't understand and I retorted right back with a quip of my own; shocking the entire parlor. I smirked, turning back to Chuckie who just chuckled. I was not about to pay some woman fifty dollars who just insulted me. I'm guessing Chuckie read my mind, he grabbing my wrist again to lead me back out to his truck. I tried asking where he was taking me, but before I could even get a single syllable out Charles had abruptly turned around and kissed me. It caught me off guard completely but eventually I allowed it to happen, softening my stance, lowering my shoulders, wrapping my arms around his neck as I closed my eyes and allowed him in. There were no other words to describe it: Fireworks.

Chuckie pulled away slowly, his gaze never daring to unlock with mine as he thumbed the bridge of my cheek. I closed my eyes, lowing how warm his skin felt against mine. I had my share of fantastic kisses, but I never had an explosive kiss that lit up the night before. Colorful blues and vibrant red lit up the desolate sky whenever our lips touched. I even had that cliché movie moment where I felt my leg perk up from being kissed so miraculously. I went in for another kiss, hoping by the skin of my teeth that it was all my imagination; but to my surprise, that same spark ignited. It was official…I was falling for Chuckie Finster.

"Suzie…"

"Chuckie…"

Neither one of us knew exactly what to say but we both understood that there was something magnificent between us. I wanted to say anything, do anything really to break the awkward spell of silence but a car horn broke my trance. I turned into the direction of the rather bright headlights of what looked to be Harold's truck.

My mouth went ajar as I heard that familiar chuckle of Harold, he poking his head out of the driver window to wave frantically at the both of us with complete pleasure and surprise. Angelica exited the passenger side door next, my heart racing when I saw her. The pristine, classy woman I left back in Michigan was now losing her fine polish and becoming more like herself. Her sassy bob was tip dyed with auburn as her chic oval glasses were replaced with contacts. That nose ring she removed months ago had returned as those conservative clothes she purchased from the Gap were replaced with denim jeans, brown combat boots, a form fitting top, and a denim jacket.

My worst nightmare had finally been realized…Angelica was soon going to remember


End file.
